Bad Bad Girls
by Anita
Summary: For Preeti and Komal, friendship had a funny way of finding them.


Bad Bad Girls

Komal Chautala was the strangest girl Preeti Sabarwal had ever met.

"Hey memsaab, utho!" Komal commanded.

"Kyun?" Preeti retorted indifferently.

Komal flashed Preeti an exasperated smile. "Because you're in my way."

It was always the smallest of things, but somehow Komal could make anything seem consequential. She consistently tried Preeti's patience, got on her every last nerve.

Preeti decided not to budge.

So Komal unceremoniously stepped on Preeti as she walked by. "Ow!" Never glancing back even once.

* * *

"What is this?" Preeti shrieked, covering her nose.

Komal sat in her bunk and gave Preeti a fleeting look. "Oh, don't act like a baby. I needed somewhere to put my uniform to dry." She explained nonchalantly.

"It stinks!" Preeti griped, wrinkling her nose. "How much do you sweat out there?"

"So what?" Komal grinned. "There has to be some evidence of me running circles around you on the field."

Preeti rolled her eyes. "Which game were you watching?"

"Hey, watch your mouth! I'm the best scorer on the team and everyone knows it."

"Right." Preeti scoffed. "And that's why I'm the center forward and you're not."

Without warning, Komal flared, lunging at Preeti in anger. The rest of the girls watched in horror.

She was like unmarked dynamite; Preeti never knew what to expect.

"Komal, chodo!" Vidya shouted, attempting to tear them apart.

"She said my shirt stinks!" Komal screamed.

"She's mad!" Preeti screamed back. "Get away from me, bloody animal!"

All of the girls were unusually quiet that night.

* * *

"Good work today, girls." Kabir announced as practice came to an end. "Vidya, Gul, tomorrow we will work on the drag flick." The girls nodded.

Preeti hastily grabbed her towel and water and took a long swig. It had been quite a long day, but nothing brought her out of a bad mood like an intense workout.

"Komal, Preeti!" Kabir called, watching as they both turned. "You two are on pack up for today." He scrutinized them for a second longer than was necessary. Had he heard about the fight from the day before? "Night girls."

"Just my luck…" Preeti muttered. She walked out to the field as Komal trailed behind.

* * *

"Coach likes me better than he likes you." Komal beamed at Preeti. "Same with Krishnaji."

"I don't care." Preeti replied bitterly.

"Everyone likes me, I think."

"Komal, can we just pack up? I'm not here to chat."

"…Except for you." Komal's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"Everyone here likes me, except you."

"Komal…"

"Right?"

Preeti paused. It was obvious. There wasn't a girl on the team who couldn't see it. They never got along, they never saw eye to eye.

But for some reason, she just couldn't say the words out loud.

Preeti looked away. "I'll go get the rest of the pylons."

"Don't bother." Komal spat back, standing up. "You can go now."

It was Komal's turn to look away.

* * *

"Preeti." A voice echoed towards her and she turned around.

"Sir." She nodded, lowering her eyes.

Kabir studied her softly for a moment. "Why are you out here all by yourself at this time of night?"

"Abimanyu, he just dropped me off."

"That's not all there is to it, right?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Preeti sighed. "There's no need for me to burden you with my problems, sir."

"No." Kabir agreed with a small smile. "But there is a need for you to figure these things out for yourself. Just not out here in the middle of a cold night." He patted her gently. "So jao. Early morning tomorrow."

She took a deep breath and began to make her way back to her room.

"Oh, and Preeti?" Kabir called out again.

"Yes sir?"

"Remember, there are some problems that cannot be solved alone."

* * *

Even when they fought, there was a spark.

* * *

Preeti swung her hockey stick, again and again, keeping a solid pace. She aimed for the net, hitting ball after ball. The field was quiet for once and she could feel the rhythm calm her mind.

Hockey wasn't complex. Each match had its rules, its order, its own straightforward way. You got out of it exactly what you put in. Whether you succeeded or failed, it was all your own doing.

There was nothing more uncomplicated in the whole world.

"Preeti!" Vidya yelled. "Dinnertime!"

If only the rest of life was as comforting.

* * *

It was the finals and everything was flying by her so fast. Preeti had never felt her legs move at such high speeds.

"C'mon Komal, c'mon…" She whispered.

In a flash Komal was looking at her, and for the first time Preeti knew that they were on the same page. It was like electricity running through her skin.

Komal passed the ball to Preeti and she made the shot. They were a perfect team, working in tandem. Nothing had ever felt so invigorating. Nothing had ever felt so right.

It was like dreaming the impossible.

* * *

Preeti Sabarwal had given up her final tie-breaker shot to Komal Chautala. Suddenly, they had become the unbeatable duo, instead of the unlikely rivals.

The way it should have always been.

Komal took her shot and it was perfect, just as Preeti had known it would be.

Kabir Khan smiled proudly at Preeti, brighter than she had ever seen him smile.

"Great job, Preeti." He congratulated her, as if it was her goal to claim.

And in some small way, maybe it was…

* * *

When she met with Abimanyu again, she knew she had to end it. Preeti thought it would be the hardest thing she would ever have to do. But the words came quickly and smoothly, without hesitation.

It was almost like getting rid of a pair of old crutches. Like trying out a brand new hockey stick on the field.

And all she could think of was Komal. Spirited, energetic, ambitious.

Free.

She could give up the hatred, but she didn't have to give up on her dreams.

* * *

"Hey memsaab." Komal called out, her luggage in tow. "Wait for me!"

"Can't you move those short legs any faster, Komal?" Preeti teased. "I can't wait to get home!"

"But that means no more hockey." Komal pouted.

Preeti grinned. "There is no way you can survive even fifteen minutes without playing. You'll have your village in an uproar in no time."

"Yeah." Komal agreed. "But after playing with all of you, it won't be half as much fun."

"Only half?" Preeti laughed.

Komal saw her parents making their way towards her, waving happily.

"Same time next year, na?" Komal asked.

"I couldn't dream of being anywhere else." Preeti said.

Komal smiled at Preeti. "Then I guess I'll see you next year." She narrowed her eyes. "But don't think I'll go easy on you, now that we're friends."

Preeti Sabarwal smiled in spite of it all as Komal Chautala raced off.

Next year.

* * *

Written for my challenge at 7virtues, where Patience was my prompt. By the way, the fight scene regarding Komal's stinky uniform is from the deleted scenes of the movie. Or at least, very much based on it. Feedback is much appreciated!


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